System of and machine for grading peas



July 14, 1931. F. D. CHAPMAN SYSTEM OF AND MACHINE FOR GRADING PEAS Filed June 5,1927

2 Sheets -Sheet 1 VEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

July 14, 1931. F. D. CHAPMAN '7 ,1

SYSTEM OF AND MACHINE FOR GRADING PEAS IHHH 1 i ulu jlm a: 1: as

A INVENTOR 'i /KAS 7% V Y A Y ATTORNEYS; 1

Patented July 14, 1931 "UNITED STATES FRANK 1). CHAPMAN, on BERLIN, WISCONSIN SYSTEM OF AND MACHINE FOR GRADING PEAS Application filed. June 3, 1927.

This invention relates to improvements in system ofand'machine for. grading peas and other edible articles or units of food.

In canning green peas the smaller sizes l are considered more valuable and are sold for-higher prices thanthe larger sizes and the prices received decrease as the size of the peas increase in size. It is, therefore, to the advantage of the canner in grading [m the peas to separate the peas into the different sizes or grades so thatafter grading the different sizes are completely separated from each other. The peas are separated by means of screensand in the event that the u smaller size peas do not separate from the larger sizes, thepeas are again run through a screening machine or regraded. This requires careful attention and considerable rehandling and is objectionable from many points of view. I

'It is one of the objects of the present in 'vention' to overcome the before mentioned objectionable features and provide a system of and machine for grading; peas and other lbarticles or unitsgof food such as peaches, beets, etc.,

in which the rehandling andregrading will be eliminated and the food articles will be separated in the manner desired. p, g an A further object of the invention is to provide a system of and machine for grading peas or other units in which all of'the grading members are ofthe same form and size to permit easy interchanging, and also that longitudinally of the machine, the centers ofall discharge chutes are "equi'distantly spaced apart so that the means for receiving the difierent grades of food articles may be likewise equidistantly spaced apart'for inspection and handling. l A further object of the invention is to provide a system of and machine for grading peas and other articles of food in which some of the peas are automatically regraded or run over the same size screen more than once during their passage through the machine. i i p A further object of the invention is to providea system of'and machine for grading peas in which the different grades or sizes Serial No. 196,321.

are separated and discharged from different portions of the machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a system of and machine for grading peas in which various combinations of sizes may be had by rearranging the screens in different positions with relation to each other.

A further object of the invention is to provide a system of and machine for grading peas which is of simple construction andoperation and is well adapted forthepurpose described.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the improved system of andmachine for grading eas and its parts and combinations as set orth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings in, which the same reference characters indicate. the

, same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 isa side view, parts in section, of the improved machine; Fig. 2'i's a transverse sectional view there of taken on line 2+2'offFig'; and,

is a front end view of the machine. Referring to the drawings the numeral 8 indicates thesmain frame whichis of rectangular form in cross section. The upper portion 9 ofthe frame inclines downwardly 0 rearwardly while supplemental frame memhers 10 are inclined downwardly, forwardly and, are. located intermediate the height of the frame. Four upper shafts 11 are journaled on the upper portion of the frame and '85 incline downwardly, rearwardly in the same plane as said frame part and have fast thereon in equidistantly spaced relation supporting rollers 12. Theinner rollers are grooved while the outer end rollers are plain or ungrooved. A line of open ended drums 13, 14, 15, 16, and'17 in endwise abutting relation are positioned between each air of upperfshafts 11 and are provided with flanged annular end portions 18. The drums are allof the same length and the end flanges of adjacent" drums abut each other and extend in pairs into the grooves of the rollers .12 while the outer end flanges of the opposite end drums extend on the out-er sides of the we outer rollers 12. The rollers of each pair of shafts are closer together than the diameter of the annular flanged ends so that the line of drums are supported on said rollers in an inclined position. Other pairs of shafts 19 journaled in spaced relation on the supplemental frame 10 and extending longitudinally with relation to the frame have rollers 20 mounted fast thereon. Regarding drums 21 and 22 having annular end flanged portions 23 are supported on the rollers 20 in endwise spaced relation. The body portions 24 of the drumsbetwe en the annular end parts are formed of perforated metal and the diameters of the perforations of the upper drums increase of an inch in size from the front to the rear ofthe machine, the first drum 13 preferablyhaving perforations of an inch in diameter and the rear upper drum 17 havingperforations of of an inch in diameter. Drum 13having the smallest size openings will separate the No. 1 grade peas from the mixed mass, drum 14 the No. 2 grade, drum 15 the No. 3, drum 16 the No. 4 and drum 17 will separate the No. 5 from the No. 6 and larger peas which will be discharged from the rear end of the drum 17.

One shaft of each pair of the upper shafts 11 are rotated by a bevel gear connection 25 with an upper transverse driving shaft 26 having a belt wheels 27 mounted thereon. One of the lower shafts 19 of each pair also have a bevel gear driving connection 28 with a lower transverse shaft 29 and said lower shaft 29 is driven from the upper shaft 26 by a sprocket chain and wheel connection 30. r

Hoppers 31 positioned in front of the forward ends of the drums 13 feed peas or other food articles into the said drums and the downward inclination and rotation of the drums causes the peas to travel through the drums and be separated by dropping through the perforations which vary in size in the different drums until finally the No. 6 or largest size peas are discharged from the rear ends of the drums 17 and into the discharge spouts 32 located at said drum ends. Hoppers 33partly surrounding the lower portions of the dr ums 13 have discharge spouts 34 which extend to and are connected to the side portions of hoppers 85. Said hoppers 35 partly surround the lower portions of the regrading drums 21 to receive No. 1 peas from the drums 21 and the hoppers 33 and discharge the same downwardly from the lower open ends 35 of said hoppers 35. Hoppers 36 partly surrounding the lower portions of drums 14 have downwardly extending spouts 37 which en- 7 ter the rearward ends of the regrading drums 21 to discharge No. 2 peas and any No. 1 peas which were not screened in the drums 13, into ,thedrums 21 for further separation from the No. 2. Discharge spouts 38 connected to loose drum ends 38' positioned at the forward ends of the drums 21 receive the No. 2 peas which have been regraded in the drum 21 and discharged therefrom.

Hoppers 39 extending around the lower portions of the drums 15 have discharge spouts 40 which extend to and are connected to the side portions of hoppers 41 which are positioned adjacent the lower portions of the drums 22. Said hoppers 41 receive No. 3 peas from the drums 15 and mix with the No. 3 peas from the drum 22. Other hoppers 42 extending around the lower portions of the drums 16 have discharge spouts 43 similar to the spouts 37 which extend into the rear ends of the regrading drums 22 and discharge thereinto No. 4 peas from the drums 16 for regrading. Spouts 44 connected to the ends 44 adjacent the forward 5 ends of the drums 22 receive the regraded No. 3 peas therefrom for discharge through the said spouts.

.Hoppers 45 extending. around thelower, half portions of drums 17 have spouts 46 for discharging the No. 5 peas received from the drums 17 It is to be understood that while the machine shown is of a double type, onelongitudinal half section may be used, or theregrading drums may be used in combination with any of the upper drums without 'departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention. g

It will be noted that longitudinally of the machine, all of the discharge spouts are equidistantly spaced from each other. to provide for discharging the different grades of peas upon tables on endless belts (notmog shown) extending at right angles to the machine for inspection and final disposition. r

It will also be understood that bymaking all of the drums of the samelength and diameter and form, with the exception of the diameter of the perforations,-that the drums are interchangeable to permit any relative arrangement of the different size screens, so that drums can be added or removed 'tochange thecapacity of the installation or the drums can be-arranged to grade and regrade the edible units in any combination desired. It will also be understood that while the machine has been shown and (16-5-1210 scribed as a system for grading peas, the diameterof the perforations and position of the drums may be changed to grade other food products such as peaches, beets, etc., as desired.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the system of and machine for grading peas is of very simple construction,

and is well adapted for the purpose described. V

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The system of grading granular food, which comprises, passing the mixed food granules over a screen having relatively small openings, subsequently passing the oversize from the first screen over a second screen having openings of larger size than those of the first screen, passing the granulars delivered through the openings of the second screen through a third screen having openings of the same size as those of the first screen, and directly mixing the granules delivered through the first and third screens.

2. The system of grading granular food, which comprises, passing the mixed food granules over a revolving screen having relatively small openings while maintaining the granules in a state of constant agitation, subsequently passing the oversize from the first screen over a second revolving screen having openings of larger size than those of the first screen while likewise maintaining the granules in a state of constant agitation, passing the granules delivered through the openings of the second screen over a third revolving screen having openings of the same size as those of the first screen while also maintaining the granules in a state of constant agitation, and finally directly mixing the granules delivered through the first and third screens.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

FRANK D. CHAPMAN. 

